Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Atthaka Nipāta
IX. Sati-Vagga

VIII. The Book of the Eights

Chapter IX: Mindfulness

Sutta 81

Sati-Sampajañña Suttaṃ

Mindfulness

[219]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.

There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:

"Monks,¹ when mindfulness and self-possession are lacking,
conscientiousness and fear of blame are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks mindfulness and self-possession.

■

When conscientiousness and fear of blame are lacking,
the control of the senses is perforce destroyed
in one who lacks conscientiousness and the fear of blame.

■

When the control of the senses is lacking,
moral practice is perforce destroyed
in one who lacks control of the senses.

■

When moral practice is lacking,
right concentration is perforce destroyed
in one who lacks moral practice.

■

When right concentration is lacking,
true knowledge and vision are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks right concentration.

■

When true knowledge and vision are lacking,
aversion and dispassion are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks true knowledge and vision.

■

When aversion and dispassion are lacking,
emancipated knowledge and vision are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks aversion and dispassion.

■

Monks, just as in the case of a tree,
which is devoid of branches and foliage,
the shoots thereof come not to maturity,
nor the bark,
nor the sapwood,
nor the core;

when mindfulness and self-possession are lacking,
conscientiousness and fear of blame are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks mindfulness and self-possession;

when conscientiousness and fear of blame are lacking,
the control of the senses is perforce destroyed
in one who lacks conscientiousness and the fear of blame;

when the control of the senses is lacking,
moral practice is perforce destroyed
in one who lacks control of the senses;

when moral practice is lacking,
right concentration is perforce destroyed
in one who lacks moral practice;

when right concentration is lacking,
true knowledge and vision are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks right concentration;

when true knowledge and vision are lacking,
aversion and dispassion are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks true knowledge and vision;

when aversion and dispassion are lacking,
emancipated knowledge and vision are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks aversion and dispassion.

Monks, when mindfulness and self-possession are present,
conscientiousness and fear of blame are the efficient cause
of possession of mindfulness and self-possession.

■

When conscientiousness and fear of blame are present,
the control of the senses is the efficient cause
of possession of conscientiousness and fear of blame.

■

[220] When the control of the senses is present,
moral practice is the efficient cause
of possession of the control of the senses.

■

When moral practice is present,
right concentration is the efficient cause
of possession of moral practice.

■

When right concentration is present,
true knowledge and vision are the efficient cause
of possession of right concentration.

■

When true knowledge and vision are present,
aversion and dispassion are the efficient cause
of possession of true knowledge and vision.

■

When aversion and dispassion are present,
emancipated knowledge and vision are the efficient cause
of possession of aversion and dispassion.

■

Monks, just as in the case of a tree,
possessing branches and foliage,
the shoots thereof come to maturity,
so likewise the bark,
the sapwood
and the core;
even so, monks,

when mindfulness and self-possession are present,
conscientiousness and fear of blame are the efficient cause
of possession of mindfulness and self-possession;

when conscientiousness and fear of blame are present,
the control of the senses is the efficient cause
of possession of conscientiousness and fear of blame;

when the control of the senses is present,
moral practice is the efficient cause
of possession of the control of the senses;

when moral practice is present,
right concentration is the efficient cause
of possession of moral practice;

when right concentration is present,
true knowledge and vision are the efficient cause
of possession of right concentration;

when true knowledge and vision are present,
aversion and dispassion are the efficient cause
of possession of true knowledge and vision;

when aversion and dispassion are present,
emancipated knowledge and vision are the efficient cause
of possession of aversion and dispassion.